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What Makes An Ideal Prospect?

Written by: Paul Tobey

Article Overview: There are 3 traits that identify an ideal prospect that most of us already know about. But there is a fourth trait that once you know what it is will help you target your prospects more accurately and therefore more successfully than your competition.

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What Makes An Ideal Prospect?

Here's a challenge for you. There are four traits of an ideal prospect.

Here are the first three:

1. They want your product.

2. They have the ability to pay for your product.

3. They have the authority to purchase your product.

Almost every course on prospecting talks about the first three, but I've left the fourth trait out. It’s seldom talked about, but it's the most important.

In fact, it's the key to successful marketing and to building a successful business.

What’s the fourth?

Trait number 4. They have bought products and services similar to yours before.

If they have bought before it means they have an established need and have demonstrated a willingness to spend money to solve the problem. Contrast this with people who may have a need but have no interest in solving the problem.

When I was at school studying marketing, my lecturer told a story of two shoe salesmen who visited a poor African country to determine if there was a market for their products.

When they got there, each noticed that almost none of the population wore shoes.

One salesperson sent a telex back to his head office….Yes, in those days they used telex. Can you believe it?

The telex read; “This is a fantastic market. 90% of the population does not wear shoes. I will be staying here an extra week to set up local agents.”

The other salesman also sent a telex to his office. This one read; “This is a terrible market. 90% of the population does not wear shoes. Returning on the next flight.”

Which one do you think was right?

In my view it was the second. Yes, there was a need, but the people were not predisposed to buying. To win in this market, you would have to educate about the reasons for wearing shoes and change the culture. Not a very easy task.

To what extent are you chasing people to buy your products and services who are not predisposed to buying? Do they perceive the need the way you do?

If you are doing this, what is it costing you?

So how do you find people who have previously bought? One of the best ways is to access them with joint ventures.

For example, suppose you sell driver safety training programs. You could look for businesses who sell other kinds of non-competing safety training to the same companies you are trying to attract.

Have them introduce you to their clients and share the profits with them.

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About the Author: Paul Tobey
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Professional Speaker, Trainer, Author, and Internet Marketing Expert, Paul Tobey is CEO of TrainingBusinessPros.Com and StreetSmart Marketer.Com.  Having trained over 22 thousand business owners in the past 4 years, the training company offers a suite of  business training helping small and medium size business experience rapid growth using social media and internet marketing platforms.  We teach business owners how to become customer acquisition experts. His popular free marketing tips magazine is read by thousands of business owners around the world in more than 47 countries. You can get it free at www.streetsmartmarketer.com.  To find a social media training near you visit www.trainingbusinesspros.com

 



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